


The Way We Were

by siriuslydraco



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-19
Updated: 2017-01-26
Packaged: 2018-09-18 11:52:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9383756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siriuslydraco/pseuds/siriuslydraco
Summary: "I'm sorry Miss Granger, but your fiance does not remember you"After an Auror mission goes wrong, Draco Malfoy loses his memory of falling in love with Hermione Granger. Will he remember before it's too late? Or is falling in love with the same person twice just too hard? Relationships are put to the test, hearts will get broken, and Draco will find out that sometimes, the greatest dangers of all, lie closer to home.





	1. proposals of permission

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first full length dramione fic! i adore these two together and have been dying to write for them forever. leave a comment at the end to let me know if you like it!  
> \- taylor madeleine

  


 

The Leaky Cauldron was buzzing with a murmur of chatter and laughter. All around, people were bustling to and from the crowded bar, pints of ale and glasses of Firewhiskey in their hands as they celebrated the fact that it was Friday. It seemed that the place was so busy, that not one person had noticed the lone man in the very far corner, and if they had they made a very good show of pretending they hadn’t.

Draco Malfoy sat in the furthest, darkest corner of the pub, long slender fingers tapping against the edges of a ridged glass of whiskey. His mind, it seemed, was swirling almost as fast as the contents of the glass as he picked it up and twirled it around. He couldn’t even seem to focus on anything going on around him. He sighed, putting his glass back down and picking up the open journal and the black feather quill beside him. The worn leather of the book was familiar in his hands, and he fiddled with the pages for a while, his eyes scanning over the entry he had written not five minutes ago.

It wasn’t a rather lengthy one, just a couple of paragraphs about the stressful day at the Ministry, and the worries that now clouded his head. Since his very first year at Hogwarts he had written in similar journals to the one he now held. Writing everything from complaining about his lame homework assignments to the burdens of having to be in the same school as Saint Potter, and there were also many detailed entries about one frizzy haired witch. Draco smirked at the thought, remembering how he had written pages upon pages in his old journals complaining about the one and only Hermione Granger. He wasn’t sure that had really changed however. He took a swig of his drink, his lips smirking around the edges of the glass as Hermione’s image swam around in his head, imagining the flash that would appear in her brown eyes if she were to ever read those very pages.

A soft breeze along with the chill of the rain blew into the cramped pub then, making Draco’s piercing grey eyes wander over to the door as two wizards strolled inside. One with a crop of red hair, and the other with his unmistakable lightning scar sitting proudly on his forehead.

There had been a time, when Draco would have recoiled at the very sight of them or would spend a minute or two coming up with a clever insult to throw at them. But now, at the age of twenty five, he had to admit he had matured an awful lot, and that he rather enjoyed their company. Although he would rather stuff frogs in his mouth than let Weasley ever hear him say that aloud. After the war, and after the tensions that had followed, the three men had actually grown unusually close despite the fact they had despised one another as children. Draco blamed being Aurors since saving someones life more than once was a good base to build a friendship. And there was also a doe eyed witch with an unusual intellect that he also blamed for his softening towards two thirds of the Golden Trio.

He waved them over once Potter met his eye, spotting Draco sitting in the shadows. Potter gave a smile and nudged Ron to follow him as he walked through the throngs of witches and wizards standing at the bar, Weasley with a vacant expression on his face until he realised why Harry had gently poked him in the ribs.

“Well, it’s packed in here tonight, isn’t it mate?” Ron commented as soon as he sat down, running a hand through his slightly damp hair, the clear evidence of rain spattering on the floor as he did.

“I think half the Auror office is here” Draco commented with a stiff laugh, relaxing just a little since he wasn’t alone anymore.

“I wouldn’t blame them” Harry said, shrugging his jacket off and wiping his rain splattered glasses “we all need the alcohol, after today”

The three men agreed in a murmur, and Ron sighed so heavily Draco thought he was going to fall off his chair. The recent events that had shaken the Ministry were taking its toll on anyone in Magical Law Enforcement and as Draco looked at his friends, he knew by their haggard expressions that it was obvious. All types of Dark Art and murder had almost vanished within the first year after Voldemorts defeat and the Death Eaters demises. But even though the War was over, there was a small lingering of revengeful witches and wizards who had fled the country, or orphans of Death Eaters that were sought on the idea to resurge the dark movement.

For the past month there had been small incidences of terrorism within the magical community. Just last month Diagon Alley had suffered a casualty since the front of Gringotts bank had been blown up, two weeks ago a Quidditch match in France was targeted and the chaos had landed on the front page of every wizarding newspaper. It was almost like a game for the Auror Office, since they were left chasing suspects around the country yet no one had been found.

But today had to mark the worst day the Aurors had had in a long time. This time a Muggle street had been blown up, and this time a Muggle had been killed.

It was becoming more and more serious as time went on, and Draco was getting more and more tired of it all. He, like so many others, had thought that all the drama with the Dark Arts had ended when Voldemort had. The very man who sat across from him now had tried to make sure of that.

Draco now wondered if it had all been in vain.

“You and McLaggen make any progress?” Ron asked after taking a generous gulp of the Butterbeer Tom the barman had just brought over.

“Not a thing” Draco almost grimaced. He didn’t like thinking about McLaggen - his partner - more than he had to.

“Harry and I have combed through everything again, and we can’t come up with anything either” the ginger haired wizard said.

“Any Death Eater who would have been this dangerous during the war, is either dead or in Azkaban” Harry sighed, running a hand over his forehead. Draco had noticed this was a habit of his now. It was almost like he had to feel if his scar was still there, to prove that it really wouldn’t hurt anymore.

“Maybe we’re not looking in the right places” Draco said, leaning a pointy elbow on the table “think outside the box, I’ve said this to McClaggen, we need to look at the most unusual suspects and not the usual”

“What do you mean?” Ron said with an inquisitive stare.

“Maybe it isn’t anything to do with Death Eaters or Voldemort” Draco explained “maybe it’s just someone who’s bitter over the War, someone who lost someone and now wants revenge”

“But it’s been over five years since the War, why attack now?” Harry wanted to know, his hands folding over the tabletop.

“I don’t know” Draco tugged his hair “all I know is that we’re missing something right in front of our noses. It’s so frustrating!”

It looked as if Harry and Draco would be quite content to sit there all night and discuss the harrowing case of the magical terrorism, while pulling their hairs out and drinking themselves stupid in the process, but Ron stopped them before they could jump into the discussion.

“Lads, can we stop talking about this for a minute?” he suggested to them “I’m seriously tired of it by now, come on it’s Friday. Let’s leave this until Monday, yeah?”

“Yeah, alright” Harry agreed with a nod, Draco just rolled his grey eyes but nodded in agreement too.

“And besides, you asked us to meet here for a reason, Malfoy” the red head said “I doubt it was to talk about work”

Draco seemed to go rigid in his chair, a frozen look of shock on his face. If Harry hadn’t known any better, he would have thought Lord Voldemort himself had strolled into the bar and ordered a cocktail. It was obvious that whatever Draco had to say got stuck in his throat as he kept opening and closing his mouth repeatedly without words coming out. A pale hand rose and he beckoned for Tom, who was clearing the table beside them, to come over. The old man shuffled over, the glasses in his hands clinking as he did.

“Another round please Tom, and you can keep the change” Draco said, letting a generous amount of wizards money into the wrinkled palm of the barman.

Ron and Harry exchanged a look, which seemed to be almost mirrored since both wizards had deeply furrowed brows of confusion. It was safe to guess that neither of them had any idea what Malfoy was about to say, or why he had asked them to meet here straight after work.

“What is it Malfoy?” Harry asked tentatively, leaning closer to his friend over the table top. Draco just swallowed, one hand burrowing deep in the pocket of his black coat as Tom returned with the drinks.

“Come on Draco, you git, spit it out” Ron was clearly impatient and sat there with his fingers knotting themselves together in anticipation.

Still Draco said nothing, but drew the hand in his pocket out, but this time he held something in it. The two men across from him watched with curious eyes to try and tell what the small object in his hand was. But as he placed it on the table, a synchronised gasp left their mouths.

Sitting in front of them on the wooden table, was a small black box.

“Malfoy is that -”

“Are you going to -”

“Propose?” Draco interjected, his voice shaky “well I hope so, with your permission of course”

“ _Our permission?_ ” Harry asked bewildered, his head cocked to the side.

“What do you need our permission for?” Ron scrunched up his face in confusion.

Draco took a deep breath, thinking he had never felt this nervous in all his life. He had the same feeling in his stomach that happened as you were plummeting to the ground on a broomstick, right before you pulled up. His hands shook as he eyed the two men before him, because the girl he was going to propose to was like their sister, was a part of something Draco had never understood and she had been theirs before she had been his. And she was none other than _Hermione Granger_.

“She doesn’t have a father anymore, the Death Eaters took care of that” Draco remembered darkly “with her parents gone, there’s no one else to ask. And for your information Weasley, I was raised to be a proper gentleman -”

“A proper git, that’s what” Ron smirked a little as Harry nudged him. Malfoy just narrowed his eyes at both of them and continued.

“So I was taught the traditional ways, and as I was saying since Mr Granger is dead, I would like to ask your permission” Draco looked at them as he fingered the small velvet box “the two of you mean the world to her, it’s only fitting that I ask you”

“Oh and for the record Ronald” Draco interrupted as Ron went to open his mouth “I’m still marrying her even if you say no, I just thought I’d be polite and ask first”

“I wasn’t going to say no” Ron said, a sort of meaningful sadness in his tone “I think Malfoy, despite everything in the past, that you deserve Hermione as much as anyone ever will”

“I agree” Harry nodded “after the war, after her parents died, she wasn’t the Hermione we knew. You gave her back to us Draco, and for that I’ll be forever grateful”

“So I have your blessings?” the blond man asked, with a skeptical eyebrow raise.

“You have mine” Ron smiled genuinely.

“And mine” Harry said.

“Woah, that was easier than I expected” Draco commented with a light laugh, giddy now that the hard part was over. He just wanted to run all the way home to Hermione and throw himself on one knee in front of her, but he stayed rooted where he was.

“Are you nervous?” Ron asked him, his light eyes scanning over the angular features of the Malfoy heir.

“I think living with Voldemort was less nerve wracking” he laughed, Harry followed “I just…..I just love her so much that I feel I’ll mess it up somehow, that I’ll be a shitty husband”

“We’ll all be shitty husbands, mate. But they’ll love us just the same” Ron said, while Harry rolled his eyes at his friends attempt to comfort the other “I’ve been married two years now, and Lav still loves me…..I think”

“You _think_? Oh Won-Won, I love you so much Won-Won” Draco mimicked, while Harry blew kissy noises in Ron’s direction, the freckled mans face burning like a schoolboys.

“Oh shut up you two” Ron scowled, while trying to hide a smile “my wife is heavily pregnant, and I don’t think she’ll be quite pleased once I tell her you idiots were making fun of her”

“Alright, alright we’ll stop” Draco said, eyeing Harry and smirking as he did.

“Anyway Malfoy, any particular way you’re going to ask her?” Harry asked, swerving the subject back to his proposal.

“No…I just thought I’d _ask_ her really”

“I left little notes around the house for Lav, the last one spelled out _Will You Marry Me?_ as soon as she touched it. She cried for hours after” Ron told them, even though they knew the story well “she thought it was the most romantic thing ever”

“ _So_ romantic” Draco drawled “well done Casanova”

“I took Ginny to dinner and a Quidditch match. I thought it was perfect to ask her in the stands” Harry said, ignoring the huff from Ron. He was never going to get over the fact his little sister and best friend had fallen in love, no matter how delighted he was with the arrangement. Harry and Ginevra Weasley had been engaged for little over a year now, and the wedding was going to be taking place at the start of the new year.

“Maybe dinner would be nice…” Draco mused “but Hermione would hate a public proposal, she’d probably just say no to spite me”

“Oh I know! Put the ring in one of her books, and when she goes to read it she’ll find it” Ron suggested brightly.

“Casanova strikes again with another brilliant idea” Draco sarcastically joked, but he was seriously considering the idea. He had been with Hermione for two years now, and he knew the thing she loved most in the world, after him of course, was reading. Maybe leaving the ring in her current tome to find wasn’t such a bad idea.

“What do your parents think about it?” Harry decided to ask, keeping his voice soft as to not upset Malfoy.

“Father was furious of course, but I couldn’t care less what he thinks” Draco answered stiffly, clutching the ring box in his hand as if for support “He lectured me on impure breeding and all that, kept shouting _A Malfoy Mudblood, what a disgrace!_ Threatened to disown me of course, but I reminded him that his part in the War already handed me with everything since he’s unfit to carry a title in society”

“Bet he wasn’t happy with that” Ron snickered into his drink.

“Not at all, he was so furious he had to leave the room because he said he’d end up killing me with his bare hands if he looked at me any longer” Draco told the two men, both sitting listening intently “I think my mother is secretly happy for me though, I think she likes Hermione”

“As long as you're happy, I think your mother would be too” Harry told him, and Dracco nodded.

“I am happy” he said with a smile “happier than I’ve ever been in my entire life, and it’s all because of Hermione”

* * *

 

Draco left the Leaky Cauldron in higher spirits than when he’d entered it. It was partly to do with the two glasses of Firewhiskey, and partly to do with the conversation he had with his two friends, something that had run a lot smoother than he’d thought it would. Both had left him with wishes of good luck, hoping that by the time they'd seen him again on Monday morning, he’d be engaged to their best friend.

Draco still had no idea how he was going to do it though. He did like Ron’s idea of slipping the ring into a book, because he knew it was something Hermione would appreciate. But he also wanted to do something extremely romantic without it being too outlandish. He knew Hermione wouldn’t appreciate something completely public or over the top, and his head was running wild with ideas.

A soft ripple of wind and rain whipped in his face as he turned on his heels and Apparated. A moment later he was standing in the darkened shadows across from his home, which was a small brownstone apartment block with Victorian windows and stone steps up the front. It wasn’t much, but it was theirs. His and Hermione’s.

Looking left and right to make sure no one was watching him emerge from the most shadowy part of the street, he then made his way across it. He was shaking with nerves as he entered the lobby and headed towards the stairs - he hated Muggle elevators - and tried his hardest to steady his heart in his chest. He knew there was no way Hermione would have any idea what he was planning to do this weekend, he hadn’t told anyone at all. Ron and Harry were the only people who knew, and they had only found out today. But he still couldn’t help thinking that she’d see right through him the minute she'd set her eyes on him.

He stopped outside the door, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath before he put a shaking hand on the doorknob and pushed his way inside the flat. The sound of the stereo was playing softly in the background, but there was no sign of Hermione. The smell of paint wafted towards him as he closed the door, he couldn't help but wrinkle his nose. He’d never liked the smell of paint much, it reminded him of the lingering scents from Professor Snape’s potions class.

He walked to the kitchen area of the open plan loft, a finger running over the flour covered counter top of the marble island. It was clear, from the looks of things, that his girlfriend had been very busy on her day off work. Something was baking in the oven that smelt suspiciously like Hermione’s apple and cinnamon pie. His stomach grumbled at the thought.

He followed the sounds of the stereo into the smallest room in the flat, an oval shaped cove that had no door, just an archway that had remained empty during their time here. It wasn’t empty now however.

Hermione Granger stood with her back to him, a paint brush in her hand and her breath softly humming the tune on the Muggle radio station. She was completely unaware of Draco behind her, and continued to dip the brush into the scarlet paint, brushing it onto the wall. Draco had to smile as he watched her balance on her toes, stretching as far as she could but still never reaching the top. He adored how she used the Muggle way instead of grabbing her wand that balanced on a stool beside her.

“Need some help with that, love?” Draco asked, causing Hermione to drop the brush onto the canvas sheets on the floor, a terrible squeak leaving her mouth. She whirled around, sweat covered curls tickling the front of her face as they escaped her french plait, her brown eyes wide as she took him in. Something in the pit of Draco’s stomach dropped as soon as he took her in.

She’d been crying.

He was over to her in three strides, his eyes never leaving her face or the red puffy rings around her eyes. She dropped her gaze as he stood in front of her, her hands wringing themselves together.

“Hermione?” he asked tentatively, a finger resting under her chin “come on baby, look at me”

She slowly rose her eyes to his while she chewed on her bottom lip, those big chocolate eyes of hers crowned in a glistening shroud of old tears. His face crumpled with concern, his thumb rubbing circles on her cheek, and then suddenly he knew the exact reason why she seemed so sad.

“You heard, didn’t you?” he asked her, and she nodded, her bottom lip trembling.

“It made me think of my parents again” she said, a tear escaped her eye but he wiped it away “and now another Muggle has been killed because of wizards, when will it stop?”

“I don’t know, but we’re trying to stop it, I promise. No more Muggles have to die because of our kind” he told her, his arms wrapping around her as she put her head on his chest.

He never thought he’d hear himself saying that he was going to protect the non-magical kind, or that he’d be holding a Muggle born in his arms. But here he was, and he knew he’d never change that fact no matter what. She began to sniff quietly as he held her, and her nimble fingers drew patterns on his back over the linen of his shirt. He knew that she must be thinking of her parents, and how they’d been murdered by Death Eaters during the year the Golden Trio had hunted for Horcruxes. She had obliviated them to protect them, but in the end it hadn’t helped. They had been tortured for information on a daughter they didn’t even know they had, and had been killed afterwards. It had been almost six years ago, but it still hurt Hermione as if it had happened yesterday. And although Draco hadn’t been involved with her then, it hurt him now too.

“I’ve just been so sad all day, I’ve missed you” she said to him, her words slightly muffled by his chest. His arms tightened around her.

“I’ve missed you too, baby” he sighed into her hair, his cheek pressing atop her head.

“Draco?” she asked after a while of standing there and letting her tears dry.

“Yeah?”

“Promise me you’ll never leave me?” her voice was soft, laced with all the hurt she had poured out today, and he found himself looking at her with a swelling heart.

He loved her. Gods, he loved her. Sometimes he loved her so much he was afraid he was going to combust from it all, he wanted to scream it out loud for everyone to hear just so the world would know how much he loved this woman. He lay awake sometimes thinking of how disgraceful he had acted towards her at Hogwarts, replayed all those times he had called her _Mudblood_ and _filthy_ and how much he thought he hated her. It haunted him to this day, and he was often knocked off his feet in surprise that she had fallen in love with him despite all of that.

But despite all of the past, he knew he loved her now in the _present_ , and would continue to love her in the distant future. He wanted all of her, every breath, every kiss, every fight. He wanted it all, and he found the ring in his pocket burned as he stared into those brown eyes.

“Marry me?” Draco blurted out, watching as Hermione’s expression froze.

“W-what?” she blinked, unsure if she had been hearing things or not. Draco took her face in his hands.

“You asked me to never leave you, and I wouldn’t dream of leaving you alone” he said, his voice oddly steady “I love you, Hermione Granger, and I wonder to myself everyday how I got to have you, and I still don’t know the answer. I don’t think I deserve you Hermione, not one bit, but I want to spend the rest of my life loving you if you’ll let me”

“Draco…” Hermione began wearily as Draco let her go to bend down on one knee, her whole body shaking.

“So Hermione…” Draco reached into his pocket and drew out the velvet box “will you marry me?”

As Draco opened the box, Hermione felt as though her heart would stop. Inside was a shiny diamond ring, shaped like an oval and set on a twisted silver band. It was unmistakably vintage, and by Hermione’s guess it was probably Edwardian, but that thought barely registered in her mind. All that mattered was the beautiful man on his knee, who was asking for all of her. Forever.

“Yes” her voice was like a whisper “yes, I’ll marry you”

“You will?” Draco beamed, still on one knee “you’ll marry me”

“Yes!” Hermione giggled, the realisation of it setting in “Merlin yes! A thousand times yes!”

Draco stood on wobbly legs, his hand shaking as he took out the ring to place on her finger. It was a huge moment in their relationship, and in both their lives but Draco couldn’t help but feel proud of himself.

He was the first Malfoy in centuries to break tradition. He was going to marry a Muggleborn. This certainly hadn’t been an arranged marriage orchestrated by his parents. And the ring he now admired on his fiancés hand wasn’t a ring handed down through generations. It was an old ring, but he had bought it himself in France not a month ago, and it was just another defiance against his family. He didn’t want any Malfoy heirloom near Hermione. He was happy to start new traditions with her. None that were shrouded in dark magic and mystery.

“Oh Draco, I love it!” she beamed up at him, a glowing light in her eyes “I love you so much”

“I love you more, Granger. I always will” he told her, his gentle lips brushing off hers.

As he kissed her, it didn’t matter that he had proposed to her while she was covered in paint or that she was dressed in an old tshirt, or that it hadn’t been romantic or planned. It was spontaneous and loving, just like they were. He didn’t think about work, or his father or how many people would disapprove of them. All that mattered was that the woman he loved most in the world had said yes, and she was willingly going to spend the rest of her life with him. She mattered, and for the first time he felt he did too. She made him feel like he was clean, and not filthy like the mark on his left arm.

She was perfect, and he loved her. And as he held her tighter, and kissed her deeper, he wished they could stay the way they were forever.


	2. the promise of tomorrow

Draco couldn’t take his eyes off her. She stood across the room, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling as she held up her hand. Every now and then she’d let her eyes find him in the small room, a smile on her lips and an expression on her face that meant she was utterly gushing inside. The flock of women around her complimented Draco’s choice of jewelry as she showed off the ring on her left hand, all taking it in theirs and pulling it to their faces to have a closer look. Most of them were middle aged witches who were happy to have some sort of excitement in the office, but there were a few younger witches who were utterly bitter that someone had become engaged before them. Draco just had to laugh.

He now stood with his back to the wall, a coffee mug held in his hands as his eyes followed every movement of Hermione across the room while McLaggen stood beside him. Another reason he couldn’t take his eyes off his fiancé was so he wouldn’t have to turn his eyes _on_ his partner, who now had his usual smarmy smirk plastered on his baby face.

 _“How did you manage it?”_ he kept saying to Draco _“how did you get a girl like Granger?”_

Draco however, still didn’t know the answer, so he stayed silent. Limited conversation with McLaggen was his favourite sort of conversation with him. So he just kept breathing heavy every time Cormac opened his mouth, and kept his eyes fixed across the room. It was a sort of custom, for most of the people in the departments to hold a sort of congratulatory coffee morning when someone announced an engagement, or a pregnancy. It wasn’t the way Draco had wanted to spend his eleven o’clock lunch on Monday morning, but Hermione was quite happy and surprised to gather in the stuffy staff room.

A soft nudge in the ribs made Draco look to his left, tearing his eyes and ears from the ramblings of McLaggen who was now spewing words like _unbelievable_ and sentences such as _never thought it’d last this long_. Draco was quite relieved to see the freckled and long nosed face of Ronald Weasley beside him.

“Cake?” was how he greeted him, holding out a paper plate that held a rather large slice of pink and white butter cream sponge.

“No thanks” Draco shook his head, watching as Ron dug a green plastic fork into the slice and shoved it in his mouth. Draco rolled his eyes. It wasn’t a very rare sight to see Ron Weasley with his mouth stuffed with food.

“She seems really happy, mate” Ron murmured, and Draco was glad that Cormac wandered off from beside him, finally leaving him alone.

“If she’s happy, then that makes me happy” Draco smiled, watching as Ron looked fondly at his beaming best friend from across the room.

“She came to the Burrow yesterday, did she tell you that?” Ron asked and Draco nodded. He did of course know Hermione had went to tell Mrs Weasley her news “Mum and Dad are delighted of course. I just think Mum’s over the moon that she gets to plan two weddings now, since Ginny’ll be getting hitched pretty soon”

Draco had to fight back a grimace, muttering under his breath instead. He was fond of Ron’s mother, but her taste in party planning wasn’t really his style. He tried to push back the images of knitted seat covers and angry garden gnomes running around the wedding reception.

“Ah I don’t understand all this wedding drama” the blond wizard shook his head, swallowing a gulp of his coffee “if I had my way I’d whisk her away right now and marry her without all this fuss about dresses and seating plans”

“Oh now now, my darling pureblood” Ron smirked, blue eyes flashing wickedly “I thought you were trained to be a good little prat...I mean gentleman”

“Yes of course Weasel...I mean Weasley” Draco threw in with an expert smile “but I can’t help wanting to go against some of the ideas. And a big lavish wedding is one of them”

“Bet Mommy and Daddy dearest wouldn’t like that”

“Yes, well they’ll just have to deal with it then, won’t they? Besides I’m not inviting them anyway” he sighed, flashes of his stubborn father flickering through his mind.

Ron ate his cake silently beside him, not really knowing what else to say and Draco didn’t blame him. Talking about his parents wasn’t something he done often, unless it was to complain greatly over something that they had said. He didn’t visit the Manor as often as he knew he should, and yet he couldn’t feel bad about it.

There was tension in that house that Draco didn’t like, and there were too many bad memories floating around like ghosts that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. But he had felt recently he had owed his parents a visit, and to share the news that he would soon propose to Hermione. A soft scowl appeared on his face as he remembered how that had went.

* * *

 

 _The wind was picking up in Wiltshire, the cold ripples of it forcing Draco to close over his coat in his bunched up hands. His tousled blond hair kept tickling his forehead and flying into his eyes, and several huffs left his mouth as he tried to push it back to no avail. The walk up the wide driveway seemed to last forever, or maybe it was because Draco never wanted to get to the front door. He tried not to look at where he was heading towards, but no matter, his mind still knew_.

Malfoy Manor loomed up in the distance, as dark and gloomy as ever. The dozens of long Victorian windows were shrouded in darkness, and the pointed rooftops looked jagged and dangerous from this angle. He wondered now why he had never seen it as a boy, but this house _looked_ evil. It had all the clear signs that a former Death Eater had lived here, and Draco found himself shuddering as he thought of the horrors that had been constructed here.

This house was where Lord Voldemort himself had lived for a time. It was where one of his old school teachers had been murdered, right on the dining room table. And it was where an unspeakable act had been carried out on Hermione. He grit his teeth as he remembered and tried to think of her warm smile and soft kisses instead of her writhing and screams of agony. After what seemed like an eternity, he found himself standing on the front steps of the Manor, his fist raised in an attempt to knock. From the time he raised his hand, to the time it hit the wood, he had considered turning and running away several times. He stayed put however and waited until a wizened old house elf answered the door.

“Y- young M- master Malfoy” the elf stuttered, it’s huge eyes gazing up at him from its tiny height. He couldn’t help but think of Hermione, and how she’d try and rescue it if she seen it now.

“Um, hello” Draco spoke awkwardly, unsure of what to say to a house elf if one wasn’t bossing it around. It - he wasn’t sure if it was male or female - looked as though Draco had handed it clothes. Draco’s feet shuffled on the carpet, feeling as though the elf was going to burst into tears at being greeted so nicely. 

“Tibby will show Mr Malfoy to the library” Tibby, as Draco now knew it was called, bowed it’s head low to the ground and extended a bandaged hand towards the direction of the library. It looked as though the poor creature had recently punished itself.

 _Poor creature?_ Draco thought with a shake of his head. His girlfriend was really becoming a bad influence on the way he thought about things. Draco could have walked on ahead of the tiny elf, since he of course knew the way, but he stayed behind it while he tried to compose himself. He hadn’t seen his parents in over three months, and was unsure how they’d take this unexpected visit. Draco however, knew his mother would be delighted to see him. Since both she and Draco’s father never really ventured outside in society on account of the disgrace of the War. But Lucius Malfoy however, that was an entirely different story.

Tibby extended the same bandaged up hand as they both entered the library, Tibby letting Draco in first. Its wrinkled and cracked face gave a weary smile in the young mans direction, and was that _pity_ in its eyes? As if it somehow knew what was about to happen? Draco shook his head, and shook the mad thoughts with it. He cast his eyes around the dark library, and as they landed on the glowing fireplace, his heart stopped dead.

Looking straight at him, with a cool malice in his eyes, and one hand resting on his jeweled cane, was his father. It was almost like he had known Draco was coming, because he looked prepared. The flames of the fire illuminated Lucius’ pale complexion, the harsh orange glow making the lines on his withered face seem more prominent. His lips were curled up at the sides, lines etched around them. As long as Draco had known his father, he had always remembered him scowling and it seemed to have set the sour expression into his face permanently. But as he looked at his son, the lines seemed to get deeper somehow.

“Father” Draco greeted, trying to keep his tone placid as he made his way towards him in the spacious library.

There were paintings on the walls that were half shadowed in dark and half lit in flame, and it was like their eyes moved to follow Draco’s every step. He didn’t like that feeling, so he looked away. All Lucius done in response was grunt as if no one had spoken. Ever since Draco had announced he was in a relationship with a Muggleborn two years ago, his father chose to barely acknowledge him. He turned his back on Draco then, shuffling over to a rounded table where a silver tray sat with ridged glasses and a bottle of whiskey. Lucius’ hand shook as he picked up the bottle, trembling as he poured it. Draco had noticed in the past couple years that his father had started to shake a little, and was sure he now used his cane for something more than show. He poured himself a considerable amount of the stuff, and turned back around. He hadn’t offered Draco one.

“So, what do I owe this _pleasure_ of your company?” his father drawled, the paleness of his face almost frightening Draco from where he stood. It was as white as his hair.

Draco was about to ask where his mother was, since he wanted her there, when the heavy door to the library swung open. The thin frame of his mother walked in, followed by the shuffling house elf Tibby.

“Tibby told me you were here, I...I couldn’t believe it” Narcissa said, her heels clicking on the wooden floors as she made her way towards him.

It was clear to see that once long ago, Narcissa had been an extremely beautiful witch. But her face was now puckered with worry lines, and her blonde hair had more grey in it now than ever. Her eyes though, were still the same and they looked at Draco with the same adoration she had held in them when he was younger.

“Hello, Mother” he breathed, giving a sigh of relief as she embraced him, trying to ignore the defiant huff from his father.

“You look tired, Draco” his mother commented as she took him in, a slightly shaky hand resting on his cold cheek.

“I’ve been working hard these past few weeks, The Auror Office is having a difficult time at the moment” Draco told her with a stiff look in his fathers direction.

 _“Auror”_ he heard Lucius scoff under his breath.

“Are you hungry darling? Do you want to stay for dinner, your father and I were just about to go into the dining room...” Narcissa began, but stopped talking once her husband threw her a look that would have soured milk.

“No thank you Mother, I’m not here to stay” was Draco’s reply.

From beside the fireplace he could see his fathers figure moving from the side of his eye. He stiffened slightly as he stood in front of him, causing Narcissa to take a step back. It had been years since Lucius had been able to intimidate his son. Gone were the days when Draco had feared that cane he now held in his hands. He was taller than his father now, and stronger, but there was still something in Lucius Malfoys cold eyes that made Draco feel like a child.

 _“Then what”_ his father spat _“brings you here?”_

Draco coughed, trying to clear his throat before he spoke. He could feel his hands shaking a little but he balled them into fists by his side. He had come here to tell them something he knew his father wouldn’t like to hear, and it frightened him to think of his reaction.

“I have something to tell you” Draco announced, watching as his mothers brow flickered with confusion “about myself and Hermione”

“Oh that’s why you’ve come back, is it? Finally seen some sense and left that filthy Mudblood have you?” his father sneered.

That was it. Draco lunged, the derogatory word setting him off. It was like his composure completely snapped, any restraint and sanity had vanished. His shaking hands wrapped around his fathers throat, furious growls emitting from his snarled mouth. These sounds of anger mixed with the shrill cries of his mother. He could have easily choked his father to death right there on the library floor, the paintings of their ancestors watching on. He could have done it, and he would have for Hermione’s sake, but something strong pulled him back like a whip. He was breathless, his back smashed against a bookcase as he was forced magically across the room.

His eyes darted around madly and fell on the image of his pale faced mother, her wand held in her trembling hand. His father was in a similar position against the dark wall across the room, a look of shock and fury coloring every pointed feature of his face.

“Enough! The both of you!” Narcissa cried, a fierce hiss underlining her tone.

“Don’t you _ever_ use that word again, especially when you talk about Hermione” Draco snapped, poisonous venom in his voice as he spat the words at his father.

“She is what she is, there’s no point in hiding that” his father retorted, his tone as equally venomous. Draco thought he was going to crumble under the force of his anger.

“Yeah? And you know what else she’ll be?” Draco said, striding across the room. Narcissa stopped him with an outstretched arm so he couldn’t get any further. “She’ll be a Malfoy” he took pleasure in every word “because I’m marrying Hermione”

If there was any color at all left in the older Malfoy’s face, it all but drained when he heard those words. His anger was insurmountable, and at that moment all he could see was the world lit up by the angry tone of red.

“You dare to bring this shame onto our family” Lucius’ words were calm and cool, but Draco knew they were laced with ice “how dare you risk our line of succession with someone incompetent to breed! You dare to besmirch our name with Mudblood filth like -”

“I told you about that word!” Draco roared, making his mother flinch beside him.

“I recall a time Draco, when you were quite fond of that word. And quite fond of calling Ms Granger by it” Lucius sneered, knowing how uncomfortable it would make Draco to remember.

“I used to be quite fond of a lot of things I thought were right, only because you taught me they were” his son told him “and you dare to tell me how I’ll bring shame to this family? As if the wizarding world still _cares_ about our name? No one cares father, not a single person and I’m one of them. I don’t care what happens to this family, you ruined us the moment you sided with Voldemort”

“I want you out of this house! Now!”

“I’m sorry I ever came here” he was speaking to his mother now, his voice softer “I just thought you should hear it from me first, instead of hearing it from another. I plan to marry her, because I love her, and I couldn’t care less what you have to say about it”

“You will regret this, I promise you that” Lucius leaned in close to his sons face, his icy eyes frighteningly vicious “you and your little Mudblood”

With that he turned and walked away, his hand bone white as it gripped his cane tightly. As the library door slammed shut a quiet silence fell over the room. Draco’s mothers eyes were wide and teary, staring at her son with a pity that made Draco feel uncomfortable.

“I’m so -”

“Don’t apologise on behalf of him” her son told her “it’s not your fault he’s a bastard”

“Draco....” she said softly, looking over her shoulder before stepping closer to him “I’m proud of you, for doing something that makes you happy”

Her words meant more than she knew, and he found it hard to say anything back. She just gave his shoulder a light squeeze, blinking back tears that were welling in her eyes, and then she turned and walked away. Draco presumed she was going to find his father and try and calm him down from his ridiculous outburst. Grey eyes swam around the room, taking it in with a sigh before he too headed for the door. He walked past the tiny elf that stood outside, eyes wide and fearful as it watched him leave.

It was almost odd how Draco didn’t feel anything at all. He had been angry, even murderous a couple of minutes ago, but now as he left he just felt _disappointed_. He hadn’t known what he thought was going to come of tonight, he'd known his father wasn’t going to be _happy_ for him but he thought he might finally except his relationship. He trudged down the driveway, knowing in his heart his father would never except it.

Draco vowed to himself that he’d never set foot inside that house again, for anything. He was leaving it behind for good, and all he had was nothing but bad memories, and words that would always stay with him.

_I’ll make you regret this, I promise. You and your little Mudblood._

* * *

 

Draco snapped back to the present, his mind now numb from remembering what had happened that night. In a way he was almost glad it had happened, since it had given him the push to finally work up the courage to ask permission from Ron and Harry. But a small part of him still felt the hurt from it. He sighed to himself as he poured himself another cup of coffee - the other had gone cold before he could finish it - and watched the granules dissolve in the scalding water.

The excited murmur of the staff room was filling his ears again as he focused, trying to shift the words that his father had left him with. He could hear Annette Bronnwick and Clara Volture talking about the scandalous relationship between two officials in Magical Law that had a fourteen year age gap between them, their shocked gasps and muttered insults reminding him of how his mother had talked to her socialite friends years ago. Weasley and McLaggen were talking in their deep guffaws to his right. He knew that wouldn’t be a stimulating conversation, and by the tone of Ron’s drawl he didn’t want to be talking to McLaggen at all.

Draco threw down the spoon on the horrific lino countertop, and took a gulp of the hot coffee, feeling it soothe him a little. A surprised tremor made him almost drop his coffee mug as a pair of arms snaked around his waist, but he relaxed when he realised who it was.

“Hey, stranger” he heard her say, her arms tightening around him. He could feel her press her cheek to the middle of his back and he sighed at the comfort of having her close.

“You finally got away from the gaggle of overbearing witches I see” Draco smirked, laughing when her fingers pinched his chest.

“They’re not that bad” Hermione rolled her eyes “they had nothing but nice things to say about you”

“Well I am charming...” he laughed when she pinched him again, his large hands trapping her small ones and turning her around. “

You’re not that charming” she teased, her brown eyes sparkling as she looked at him. “

Well you did agree to marry me so..” he trailed off with a wink, making her lips turn down.

“I’m actually beginning to wonder if that was a mistake” she told him, her lips pressing together to hide her smile.

“Oh well, I hear Bertha Tallon is single I could go ask her. She _is_ fifty five, and owns thirty cats but she could make a great wife” Draco said, pretending to mull the idea over with a curious arch to his brow. He found her pouting lips and furious gaze absolutely endearing and let out a soft chuckle as she began smacking his arms and chest. He caught her arms then, and pulled her against him while she fought him off playfully. No one around them was paying them any mind, all too wrapped up in office gossip to care. He took her face in his hands, his eyes intently staring into hers.

“All joking aside Granger, are you sure you want to marry me?” he asked her, his voice soft and low.

“I’m sure about you, Draco” she told him honestly as he played with a curl around her face. He let his face turn into a smile, she loved when he smiled like that. It made him look like he never had such burdens as he was placed with years ago.

“And you know you won’t be able to call me Granger once were married” Hermione teased him, and he just rolled his grey eyes.

“I think I’ll make an allowance” he told her with his lips inches over hers. He felt her smile against his lips, and her breath tasted like honey on his tongue. He inched closer to her, feeling her arms tighten around his neck as she stood on her tiptoes to reach him.

“AURORS!"

Draco felt Hermione jump as their blissful moment was interrupted by a shout. He whipped his head around to the door as everyone disbanded their conversations to do the same. Potter stood in the doorway, a look of horror on his face and a sheen of sweat on his forehead that made it look as if he had ran all the way here. Hermione stepped forward in an action of shock but stopped when Harry bustled in.

“We need all Aurors at the front entrance now!” Harry said, looking wildly around the room. His eyes fell on Ron. On McLaggen. On Burke. On Vesper. And finally Draco.

“What’s going on Potter?” Draco asked him, his eyes flickering all ovr his friends face.

“Hogsmeade, it’s been attacked” he said, a series of gasps following his words “we think they tried to get to the castle but couldn’t so they attacked the village instead. They left three dead”

Hermione gasped from beside Draco, and he couldn’t help but pulling her close in a gesture of comfort.

“We need all Aurors out in the field now, we don’t know how many there were but they all got away” Harry told them as Ron and the rest of the Aurors gathered around “I want Draco and McLaggen at St Mungo’s in five minutes. Ron, you’re with me. Burke, Vesper, Kingsley’s office now”

“Wait Potter, why’re we at Mungo’s?” Draco wanted to know. Harry turned around as he was walking out the door.

“They attacked one shop, but they left a survivor. She might identify whoever was behind this. You’re job is to find out who” he said “we’re staying behind to intercept a plan. When you find out who this is, that’s when we make our move. We find this bastard. Tonight”

Every Auror inside the room moved when Harry did, all heading out the door but Hermione’s tight grip on Draco’s hand restricted him to. He turned around, his eyes meeting her fearful looking brown ones.

“Come back to me” she told him, a fear laced in her voice that made him want to comfort it all away “you promise me”

“I’ll come back to you, baby. I always will” he told her, pulling her in for a quick kiss. His lips and hers parting delicately.

“I love you” she told him, finally lettng his hand drop from both of hers. She suddenly felt odd, as if she was letting go of all of him.

“I love you more, Granger”

She watched him leave, an icy feeling of dread in her heart, but she shook it away. He would come back to her. He always did.


	3. the destruction of yesterday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco and McLaggen are in St Mungo's questioning the latest victim, while the culprit is still at large plotting against the Malfoy heir.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much guys for the support on this story and all the kind comments and messages!! it's very much appreciated since I was a bit nervous about putting this up in the first place  
> hope you enjoy!!  
> \- taylor madeleine

_Susan Bones._ He hadn't seen or heard from the girl since his Hogwart's days.

Draco now paced outside her hospital room, rereading her file over and over again. It wasn't that it was full of extensive information, but he wanted to look busy in front of McLaggen who looked desperate for a conversation. His lips were trembling so bad that he had to keep them busy while blowing on his coffee, even though Draco knew it must be room temperature by now.

Susan Bones had been the only survivor of the Hogsmeade attack. Thankfully it was just her shop that had been hit, and no other building in the wizarding village. Draco knew it was a hard thing to think, since there were in fact three dead, but in this job lesser casualties was a good thing.

_Broken ribs. Fractured pelvis. Signs of internal bleeding._

Draco sighed, running a pale hand through his white hair as those same words kept jumping up at him. It was true he'd never been close to the Hufflepuff girl in his lifetime, nor had he ever had a conversation with her but he was still certain she didn't deserve the injuries she had obtained. He eyed her door, his grey meeting the frosted over glass that he could barely make out shapes through.

Her Healers had been very specific. No questioning or visiting until Ms Bones was stable.

So now they had to wait until she was fit to answer questions. Which meant Draco had to keep pacing and pacing while McLaggen sat there watching him. It was unsettling and irritating all at once but Draco tried his hardest not to look.

It was times like these when he envied Potter and Weasley. They had been best friends for years, and were now partners in Magical Law Enforcement. Draco bet that _their_ missions weren't filled with awkward silences and scowls. It wasn't that he _hated_ McLaggen. No, hate was a strong word. He just severely disliked him.

He was too pompous, and sure of himself and often reminded Draco that it was _he_ who Hermione took to Slughorn's Christmas ball in sixth year. It was _he_ who Hermione had fallen for in school. Well according to Cormac anyway. Draco knew all too well that Hermione had liked _him_ since her fourth year but Draco didn't want to burst Cormac's bubble of delusion.

"Stop pacing, would you? You're making me dizzy" he heard McLaggen say, his grey eyes flicking to his baby face. He immediately frowned at the sight of him.

"Oh do forgive me" Draco drawled, but didn't stop his walking up and down. This made Cormac huff in his chair.

"Seriously mate, just stop. You're only making yourself on edge" the curly haired wizard told him, his eyes watching Draco cautiously from over the rim of his styrofoam coffee cup. Draco had to fight back a grimace at the fact Cormac had called him his mate. It was hard enough to hear Weasley say it after all these years.

"I'm just trying to think is all. I can't do that sitting down" Draco said, clutching Susan's file as he leaned his back against the wall. All he wanted to do was go home to Hermione and hold her tight instead of being here.

He'd always hated hospitals, magical or Muggle. He'd been in one Muggle hospital in his whole life and he didn't really see the difference to the one here in the wizarding world. All had the same ghastly linoleum floors and horrible smells.

"How'd you do it?" his eyes went straight to McLaggen who was sitting there looking like he hadn't a care in the world.

"Do what?" Draco stood up straighter.

"Propose to Granger of course" Cormac rolled his eyes, and once again Draco had to hold back. No one called Hermione, _Granger_ but him. It was just logic really.

"I asked _Hermione_ " he emphasized "just got down on one knee and asked"

"No fancy dinner? No hidden ring anywhere? Gods man, where's your romance?" he shook his head with a sly smile.

"Remind me again, how many fiancés do _you_ have?" Draco quipped, a grin spreading across his face once McLaggen went red, his eyes dropping to his cup.

"So what does it say about our witness?" he changed the subject, nodding his head towards the file in his hands.

"Female. Twenty-four. Name; Susan Bones" Draco read aloud "broken bones, fractures, evidence of the Cruciatus and other unidentified curses as of yet"

"Sweet Circe, the poor girl" Cormac said with a tut. He reminded Draco in that moment of a middle aged woman gossiping about some girl who got jilted at the alter. Instead of a fellow classmate who had just been tortured and attacked.

"Yes, well she's lucky to be alive. The other three were Egyptian wizards, a family actually" Draco said with a heavy huff. It wasn't good for Magical Co-operation when foreign wizards were murdered on British soil. He was sure the Minister would be getting an earful.

"I can't figure out why these attacks happened"

"None of us can" Draco rolled his eyes.

"It seems almost pointless, and random. But then when you think of it, it isn't random at all" Cormac mused.

"What do you mean?" Draco stood up straighter against the wall, ears now curiously pricking with interest.

"Think about it. The Quidditch match was in _France,_ most of the casualties were from France or Hungary. The wizards who were attacked were _Egyptian._ What if we have some sort of magical racist on our hands?" McLaggen said, waving his hands around for emphasis. Draco ran a hand over his face, breathing heavily and focusing on how the exhalation disappeared through the cracks in his fingers.

"Do you listen at meetings at all? We brought this up at the last one" the blond said "you're forgetting that _Muggles_ were also attacked, they don't have links to the Wizarding world so why attack a bunch of Muggles, and then a bunch of wizards with no connection? It makes no sense"

"Yes, but Muggles are also a race right?" Cormac pondered, watching as Draco thought for a moment. Then he shook his head.

"Look, none of that is important. What's important is that we find out who this is and stop them"

"Yeah but just think about it for a -"

"Mr Malfoy?" McLaggen was interrupted - gratefully Draco added -  as a door was opened and a plump witch with black hair stepped forward. She'd come from Susan's room.

"Yes?" Draco stood in front of her, noticing that the small witch looked drained. It must have taken a good while to get Susan stable.

"She's awake now, so you can see her. But I must warn you, she's very anxious and mentally unstable, as you'd expect of course. The poor pet's been through a lot in the past few hours" the Healer spoke, her lips turning into a frown as she looked behind her shoulder back into the room "I'm giving you twenty minutes and then I'll be back to sedate her. She needs the sleep"

"Thank you, twenty minutes is more than enough time"

The Healer looked between Cormac and Draco and once satisfied she could leave she turned on her heels and slowly walked down the corridor, almost seeming like she didn't want to leave Susan alone for long. Draco extended a hand in front of him and Cormac went through first. The room was entirely white, and the girl that lay in the bed gave off a shocking contrast with her red hair splayed out around her. She was so pale that Draco was sure he looked sallow compared to her. There were fine purple lines under her eyes, and they now stared blankly at the wall.

"Susan?" Draco began tentatively, standing over her bed while McLaggen stood on the other side. Susan's brown eyes slowly turned towards him, and Draco felt himself swallow at how empty they looked.

"I'm Draco Malfoy. I don't know if you remember me, but we um....we went to Hogwarts together" he began, giving a quick shrug to Cormac.

"I know who you are" was her hoarse reply, her eyes turning away from the blonde wizard and to the ceiling instead.

"We just want to ask you a couple of questions" McLaggen said, clearing his throat a little.

"Why? The other Healers already asked me everything. So you won't need to ask me my date of birth or blood type" she remarked bitterly.

"We're not Healers, Ms Bones" Draco told her "we're Aurors"

At that word her eyes shot wide, her head going from side to side as she looked between McLaggen to the Malfoy. Her hands frantically tried to push herself further on the bed and for a moment Draco thought she was going to throw herself off it and make a run for it. Her eyes certainly kept darting to the door.

"No, no, no. Get out!" she said, her red hair tumbling all around her head as she shook it back and forth "I don't want to talk to you. Or any Aurors"

"Ms Bones, we're only trying to help" Draco tried her in a pleading tone "we only want to get to the bottom of this"

"It doesn't matter, I don't remember anything. Now please leave" Susan begged, her wide brown eyes looking to Cormac as if to help her.

"It doesn't have anything in your file about memory loss, Ms Bones so could you please let us ask you a few simple questions? They could really help" Draco asked her, taking a step towards her and looking at her with as much reassurance as he could muster.

Susan just sat there on her hospital bed, her fingers clasped tight against her mouth and her eyes filled with tears. Dressed in the blue gown, rocking back and forth with various drips of potion in her arms she looked like she should be in some sort of ward for the mental. Her lips were trembling and all of a sudden she burst into tears. It wasn't completely unexpected but it still made Draco shift on his feet.

"Now, now Susan it's alright" Cormac soothed, a hand reaching out to rub her arm. He almost jumped into the air with surprise when she clung to him, her hands balling the sleeve of his shirt.

"You don't know what he did to my family, during the war. You don't know" she cried, shaking her head back and forth. For a moment Draco thought of the crazy possibility that Voldemort was somehow back. Since he knew he had been behind the attacks on the Bones family. But he shook his head to himself since he of course knew there was no possible way.

"Voldemort killed them all, my aunts and uncles, my grandparents. I don't want that to happen again, not to anyone else" Susan said, a shaking hand wiping away her tears that had run down her pale face "I know it will if I say something"

"We're Aurors, Susan. Our job is to protect you from the people who hurt you" Draco told her "anything you say to us is extremely confidential. No one will know, and we'll keep surveillance on your family if necessary"

"But he'll know" Susan started to shake, her bone white hands balling the front of Cormac's sweater, he looked slightly awkward as he comforted her.

"Who will know Susan?"

"The man who attacked me" she said with a shudder "he told me if I told anyone then he'd come back and finish me off"

"He spoke to you?" Draco's brow furrowed in confusion, his eyes swiftly looking at Cormac "did he speak to any of the others? The foreign wizards, what about them?"

"No, he just walked into my shop and killed them. They were dead before they hit the floor, and their eyes...." she burst into a sob again as she remembered her horrific ordeal.

"So he didn't speak to anyone else, just you?" Cormac asked her, a hand now rubbing her back.

"Y-yeah just m-me" she spluttered out, big tears pooling in her eyes.

"Is there any reason why this happened? Do you have any enemies? Anyone who would want to hurt you?"

" _Enemies?_ No" the redhead firmly said "I keep to myself, I just run my book store and that's all. I've no enemies"

"Did you get a good look at the culprit, did he have anyone else with him?" Draco questioned her while jotting down stuff in his notebook.

"There was one other with him, but he didn't do anything. He didn't cast one curse. But they both wore masks. I didn't see their faces" she looked away from Draco and out the small window, her lip trembling as she caught it between her teeth. She seemed on edge, more so than she already was, and Draco stepped closer to her.

"Susan, is there something you're not telling us?" he asked her softly but she shook her head "even if you think it's something small, it could really help"

Yet again she shook her head. Draco looked at Cormac with a pleading look in his eyes, making an action to prompt him further.

"Susan, whatever this person threatened you with doesn't matter, alright? We can help you, we can protect you" Cormac told her "but we want to catch these people and throw them in Azkaban, but we can't do that without your help"

"So anything at all you can tell us? About his height. Did he have a British accent? A foreign one?" Draco pressed.

"I don't need to tell you any of that" she whispered, her eyes turning to Draco "I know his voice. I knew who he was the minute he spoke. I was his Herbology partner in fourth year"

"Who was it?" Draco was impatient now, his eyes flicking to Cormac in anticipation since now he knew he was a Hogwarts student.

"You promise you'll protect me if you don't catch him?" she asked, a fearful innocence in her eyes.

"We promise" McLaggen said surely. Susan swallowed a little, still shaking all over. She turned her eyes to Draco, the fear still clear in them.

"Theo" she said "it was Theodore Nott"

* * *

 

The Nott Manor was hidden behind a large curve of apple trees that Draco remembered had looked pretty during the summer months he had visited here as a child. He hadn't been here in years, and in that time the place had managed to look as dark and crumbling as an old ruin. The apple trees were dead and the brick of the house was now almost completely obscured by an epidemic of twisting ivy. 

He wondered for a brief moment whether everything from his childhood was crumbling away. Everything he had grown up believing in had been completely shattered not so long ago. His parents were wasting away in front of his eyes, especially his father. Even their own manor was slowly falling into disarray. The long lineage of pureblood tradition was crumbling as fast as the brick on this house.

He now waited among the decaying apple trees with McLaggen, and two other Aurors who had almost the same identical furrowed foreheads. Draco hoped for a split second that he wouldn’t end up as harsh and haggard looking as the older Aurors in his department. 

Potter along with Weasley had gone inside the house not five minutes ago, leaving strict orders that no one was to follow until they sent a signal. Which was a beacon of red sparks. Draco’s grey eyes now scanned every possible inch that he could see, trying to spot any flash of red. 

“Ouch McLaggen would you get off my foot!” Draco hissed in his partners direction, who was finding it difficult to stay in a crouched position for too long. 

“Sorry sorry” the other wizard muttered, casting a hasty look at the older Aurors. Both of them hadn’t moved a muscle - they’d barely blinked now that Draco thought about it - but just sat there with stony eyes cast on the house. 

“You clumsy git! Would you move McLaggen you’re right on top of me!” Draco argued in a whisper, nearly falling over when Cormac pushed him aside in an attempt to get into a comfortable position. This was no time, Draco thought, for comfort. 

“My. Foot. Is. Caught. In. This. Bush” Cormac huffed out, falling completely off balance and toppling to the ground along with Draco as he pulled his foot from the shrubbery. 

“Salazar Slytherin! I am going straight to Kingsley tomorrow and asking for a transfer!” the Malfoy hissed angrily, causing McLaggen to puff out his cheeks in annoyance. He was about to open his mouth to retort when a huge bang resided in the air. 

Draco, along with the other Aurors, whipped his head around as quickly as he heard the noise. It had come from the house, and surely enough a flash of violent red lit up the upstairs windows of the Manor. Draco’s heart pounded in his chest, hammering to get out as he scrambled off the dirt covered ground. 

Weasley and Potter were in trouble. And he needed to help. 

“Go now!” he shouted, not caring anymore for quietness but leaping out of the trees and sprinting towards the old house. He could hear the excited and adrenaline rushed breaths of the other Aurors behind him. Even Cormac was standing and ready. 

He shouldered the heavy front doors, his magical abilities abandoning themselves in his state of panic and pushed himself inside. 

The house smelled just as old as it looked, like must and rotting plants. Draco guessed that came from the huge potted hibiscus flower that rested on a wooden table in the grand hall. It was drooped and dying and its petals were so weak they looked like ash. He looked left and right for any signs of movement, the other men flanking his sides but found nothing. He motioned for them to follow up the stairs. 

Another bang and a distinctive shout of _Stupefy_ rang throughout the eerie house. It was almost unmistakably Ron, and Draco found he ran up the stairs quicker, his wand held out in front of him. 

He was almost to the top step, almost there when some strong force was aimed at his side. It all happened so fast. One moment he had been running and the next he was nearly being knocked over the banister of the stairs. All of a sudden there were flashes of light, blinding beams of blue and red and muffled shouts of different spells. 

They were being attacked. All of them. 

Draco guessed as he shakily got up that he had been hit by _Alarte Ascendare,_ since he had been lifted right off his feet. He gripped his wand tighter in his hand as he began shooting off spells against one masked culprit that was lurking in the shadows. 

The upstairs landing of the Nott Manor was so dark that it was hard to tell who was an Auror and who was a suspect. All Draco knew was that they seemed to be matched, skill for skill as all forms of hexes and jinxes were blocked on either side. 

Vesper, one of the older Aurors fell in a scream of pain, a red light binding his body. Draco knew all too well the look of an Unforgivable. He expertly turned, shot a Body Binding curse in the direction of the person who had sent Vesper down, and yet another body fell to the ground with a thud. They were backing up now, down the darkened hallway and towards the shouts from the other room where Draco knew Ron and Harry were battling in. 

A chandelier, one that was black and pointed started to swing violently as the ceiling above them was blasted with a spell. Draco watched with his eyes wide as it fell rapidly above McLaggen. He ran, dodging an _Immobulus_ , and seized Cormac out of the way before the huge glass object fell on top of him. It crashed to the floor meters away from them and both men had to shield their eyes from the dispersing sharp shards that were being scattered through the air. 

"Thanks, mate" Cormac huffed out, sounding just as surprised as Draco felt. 

"Don't mention it" he replied with "seriously _don't_ mention it" 

"They're getting away" Burke, a grey haired middle aged Auror shouted, pointing past the ruined chandelier with his wand. Draco squinted in the harsh blue light coming from the tip and could see the two figures running down the hallway. 

"McLaggen after them!" Draco shouted and then turned to look at the lifeless form of Vesper on the ground "Burke get your partner to the Apparition point and straight to Mungo's!" 

"But what about -" 

"Don't worry about us! There's four of us, if Potter and Weasley managed to stay alive. Now go!" with that he ran after his own partner, determined to trap them down the hallway and only hoped Burke would be able to get out in time. 

They had caught up to them, right outside a room Draco remembered was the library from all his childhood visits. The culprits heard the Aurors behind them, and shot random hexes from over their shoulders, Draco having to dodge and block as quickly as he could. His ears were rushing with the swarming adrenaline in his veins and he found that his blood now pumped around his body extra fast. 

They disappeared through the double doors and were swallowed in the same inky blue darkness that seemed to engulf the whole house. Draco and Cormac were right behind. 

As Draco ran inside a flash of blinding light hit him on his right and he was floored off of his feet like he had been downstairs. He heard a grunt of pain from McLaggen but he couldn't do much as he was hurtling through the air. He landed with a sickening thud on his left side behind an upturned bookcase. He then felt a strong pair of hands bustle him into a sitting position. 

"Well nice of you to drop by" it was Potter, crouching behind the case with the cheekiest of smiles on his face. Even at a time like this he managed to be a git. 

"Yes, it's rather splendid isn't it? Exactly how I wanted to spend my evening" Draco drawled with a wizened groan as he sat up, his wand grasped tightly in his hands. 

"What happened downstairs?" Potter asked, ducking as a stream of hardbacks were knocked off the shelf in front of him. Draco stood up quickly, shouting a _Reducto_ and then crouched back down. 

"There were three, one's down. So is Vesper. Burke's took him to Mungo's" Draco informed him rather quickly, nudging Potter to move as a _Cruciatus_ missed him by an inch. He shot back three angry jinxes. 

"Merlin's balls, so is Ron" Harry said, eyeing the darkest corner of the library. Draco turned his head to the side to see Weasley sitting on the ground behind yet another fallen bookshelf. Draco realised the whole library was destroyed. 

As Draco squinted further his head began to spin rather sickeningly. Ron's hands were clutching his right thigh, crimson jets of blood pooling out of it and onto the wooden floor. It looked very much like the wound Draco had obtained in sixth year from Potter. _Sectumsempra_. It had to be that. 

"How?" was all Draco could say, his head spinning to think that Ron was losing that much blood. 

"Nott" Harry spat with narrowed eyes "he's hiding somewhere here" 

A shout made both of them poke their heads from over the top of the bookcase and they managed to see McLaggen kneeling on the ground, his wand abandoned beside him as wracks of pain shook through his body. A dark hooded figure stood over him.

"Fuck this Potter, let's do it! I'm not holding back with the Unforgivables now" Draco stood up rather abruptly as he weaved his way through the destruction of the Nott family library. Harry was close behind after he swiftly gave Ron a last look. He was still clutching his leg as if he thought it would fall off if he let go.

_Crucio. Confringo. Immobulus. Stupefy._

The shouts rang out through the library, flashes and explosions coming from either side. It was only Harry and Draco now, against the three hooded wizards - or witches, Draco couldn't tell. McLaggen was passed out, probably from undergoing so much pain and Draco stepped in front of his lifeless form as a shield. No matter how irritating he found his partner on a daily basis, he knew he needed to protect him in situations like this. 

 _"Avada Kedavra!"_ there was a shout and Draco felt his heart stop, his head whipping around to Harry who was fighting off to the left. It was like everything was in slow motion. He moved as if his limbs were made of lead and as if the world had stopped its usual pace. He raised his wand, pointing it as soon as he seen the green flash in Potters direction. 

"Protego!" Draco shouted back, watching as the Unforgivable rebounded and shot back to its sender. The person fell to the floor and so did Draco's heart. 

He knew this person wasn't hit with something that would wear off in a minute or two, this person would never get back up and Draco felt sick. He had known that voice. It had been Gregory Goyle.

Potter whipped his head around, his bright eyes flashing behind his glasses and holding all of his amazement in them. It was almost like he was about to open his mouth to say thanks when a shout muffled anything he would have said. It was a shout of absolute rage, and Draco knew this must be Nott since he was the only one left. He fired off random spells in his anger and Draco tried as best as he could to block them all. 

But the last one that was cast was one that Draco didn't hear at all. It was as silent as the calmest night, but felt like ice as it hit Draco square in the chest. He heard the muffled calls of Harry and seen the distant flashes of spells as he fell to his knees. 

His last thought was of Hermione, and then the world went dark. 

 

 

 

 


End file.
